What makes Ilé unique?
What makes Ilé truly special is the fact that guests are able to dine at my own personal dining table in my home while I take them through each course. In a traditional restaurant you don’t get as much access to the chef. Here at my private dining room, I not only am performing for the guests, taking them on a storytelling and culinary journey, but they are in the heart of the kitchen as well. They can see the team cooking behind them, they can ask me questions and interact with me, there are no boundaries here. I love getting to know the guests and meeting new people. It is very rare to have such an intimate dining experience, paired with entertainment.
What’s your approach to hospitality?
Hospitality at Ilé is very similar to what you would receive if you went to your family’s house. It is warm and welcoming from the moment you step through the front door. Since it is a communal experience you are sitting at the table getting to know your fellow diners, mingling, engaging and having fun. It is important to us that everyone feels at home here, hence the name, Ilé.
How have your career goals evolved over the years?
When I started my career, initially my goal was defined by good food, good service, and good ambiance. Now, it has transitioned into putting West African cuisine on the global food map and telling the story of my culture through music, art and showmanship.
The evolution is about sharing my culture, whether that is through food, products, panels, or even touring to bring my culture into the limelight through different mediums.
The theme of home is central to Ilé. How is this conveyed through the experience?
First of all, you are walking into a chef’s home so immediately you get a homey feel right off the bat. When you walk in, the dining table is directly in front of you. You see the team cooking in the kitchen, the living room to your left where you can relax before dinner is ready. Once you are seated at the communal table, you begin introducing yourself to the other diners (similar to if you were at a friend’s dinner party with guests you did not know). The staff is all very friendly and treat you as a part of their own family, coming by to check in on you, and even participating in the conversation around the table. As the dinner begins, you start to hear stories of different people and places developed by my own experiences that showcase the different dishes in front of you. Each dish resembles a place, a memory, or a story all from my home, letting the guests in even more to my culture.
What’s next for Ilé?
We have a lot in the works at the moment, but what I am most excited about is our upcoming tour. I will be taking Ilé on the road and collaborating with some amazing chefs across the country for experiences all centered around culture. Look out for my dates in cities like New Orleans, Washington DC, New York, Chicago and more, coming soon.
I am also about ready to launch my own product line which will make African spices available to the public.
How does Tock help your business?
Tock has helped my business in a handful of ways. First of all, it gives us a platform where we can book the experiences and process the reservations easier. The major difference though is that it allows us to access the customer ourselves that way the data belongs to us which is different from other booking platforms. From marketing and visibility to the ease in managing and checking in guests, Tock has been invaluable to the Ilé experience.
